On June 19, 2023, CMS sent out updated guidance to Accreditation Organizations (AOs) regarding unannounced surveys, blackout dates, and the complaint process. If not already in place, these changes to the AOs processes must be implemented by July 14, 2023:
“In accordance with both §488.5(a)(4)(i), which requires unannounced surveys, as well as our long-standing instructions in Chapter 2 of the State Operations Manual (SOM), Section 2700A, we are reiterating that all surveys of providers and suppliers (other than clinical laboratories) must be unannounced. No contact should occur with the facility prior to the surveyor or survey team’s entrance into the facility.”
“Any prior notice of a survey, via email, electronic portals, phone calls, or other means of communication, is considered a violation of CMS regulations.”
“CMS is aware that some AOs allow facilities to request “blackout dates,” which are dates the facility requests or prefers not to be surveyed. Allowing facilities to request dates when they wish not to be surveyed is not consistent with CMS’ survey expectations.”
“Administrative reviews or offsite complaint investigations and contacting facilities in advance of a complaint survey are inconsistent with CMS’s survey processes for SAs and, therefore, not comparable with or equivalent to CMS as required at §488.5(a)(4)(ii).”
